Red Pontiac the best

THE Red Pontiac has been proven to be the best variety of potatoes for Fiji's climate, says Ministry for Agriculture senior officer for potato management, Mohammed Kadir Khan.

And this was emphasised to growers in Sigatoka at a Potato Day event held to reintroduce the variety in the Western Division.

"It has been confirmed through research that Red Pontiac is the proven variety for Fiji's climate," Mr Khan said.

"It can grow well in the country and is a high yielding variety producing around 10 to 12 tonnes per hectare."

He said over the past four years, farmers were growing temperate varieties imported from New Zealand, which only produced between four to seven tonnes per hectare.

Mr Khan is a member of the Agriculture Ministry's Potato Research and Development — a five-year program that will be conducting research on various varieties and to provide storage facilities for potato growers — which was established this year.